# CIS Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - 4.1.12 Ensure use of privileged commands is collected

> Collect audit events for execution of setuid and setgid privileged programs

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-12-ensure-use-of-privileged-command` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-12-ensure-use-of-privileged-command`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-12-ensure-use-of-privileged-command/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-12-ensure-use-of-privileged-command

---


# 4.1.12 Ensure use of privileged commands is collected (Scored)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 2 - Server
- Level 2 - Workstation

## Description

Monitor privileged programs (those that have the setuid and/or setgid bit set on execution) to determine if unprivileged users are running these commands.

## Rationale

Execution of privileged commands by non-privileged users could be an indication of someone trying to gain unauthorized access to the system.

## Audit Procedure

Run the following command replacing `<partition>` with a list of partitions where programs can be executed from on your system:

```bash
find <partition> -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk '{print \
"-a always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 \
-k privileged" }'
```

Verify all resulting lines are in the `/etc/audit/audit.rules` file and the output of `auditctl -l`.

## Expected Result

All setuid/setgid binaries should have corresponding audit rules.

## Remediation

To remediate this issue, the system administrator will have to execute a find command to locate all the privileged programs and then add an audit line for each one of them. The audit parameters associated with this are as follows:

`-F path=" $1 "` - will populate each file name found through the find command and processed by awk. `-F perm=x` - will write an audit record if the file is executed. `-F auid>=1000` - will write a record if the user executing the command is not a privileged user. `-F auid!= 4294967295` - will ignore Daemon events.

All audit records should be tagged with the identifier "privileged".

Run the following command replacing with a list of partitions where programs can be executed from on your system:

```bash
find <partition> -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk '{print \
"-a always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 \
-k privileged" }'
```

Add all resulting lines to the `/etc/audit/audit.rules` file.

**Notes:** Reloading the auditd config to set active settings may require a system reboot.

## Default Value

Not configured by default.

## References

1. CIS Controls v6.1 - 5.1 Minimize And Sparingly Use Administrative Privileges

## Profile

- Level 2 - Server
- Level 2 - Workstation